On January 10th, Beijing time, the NBA regular season welcomed several key battles. The Warriors, Rockets, and Mavericks each achieved victories in their respective games, with the Rockets particularly widening the gap with the Grizzlies in the battle for second place in the West, while the Warriors and Mavericks' games were filled with drama. Today's matches once again intensified the competition in the West, with changes in the standings sparking extensive discussions among fans. The Warriors narrowly defeated the Pistons 107-104: Curry's slump was still crucial. The Warriors won a close victory over the Detroit Pistons on the road, 107-104. Despite the lead being reduced to just two points at one point, Curry's two free throws in the final moments stabilized the situation, ultimately helping the Warriors secure the win. In this game, Curry's shooting efficiency was worrying, as he made only 5 of 21 shots, including just 2 of 14 from beyond the arc. However, he still contributed a comprehensive stat line of 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists, becoming the core of the Warriors' victory. On the Pistons' side, Cunningham put on an impressive performance, scoring 32 points with 6 rebounds and 8 assists, but unfortunately failed to lead the team to a comeback. Although the Pistons launched a fierce attack at one point, they ultimately failed to complete the comeback, and the Warriors luckily ended the Pistons' five-game winning streak. The Mavericks made a comeback against the Trail Blazers, winning 117-111: Kidd used team basketball to make up for the absence of the core. Despite the…

NBA Latest Rankings Today: Lakers Beat Hawks to Rise to 4th, Clippers Get Two Boosts, Kings Give Rockets a Big Gift The fierce competition on the basketball court often drives fans into a frenzy of excitement. Just a couple of days ago, the NBA Western Conference witnessed a series of matches that sparked a thrilling and captivating battle. Let's take a look at the newly crowned Kings. After dismissing Mike Brown, interim head coach Doug Christie has led the team to an impressive three consecutive victories. In their most recent game, six players scored in double figures, with Monk putting up an outstanding 31 points as they defeated the formidable Grizzlies of the West. This victory not only showcased the Kings' new state under the new coach but also indirectly assisted the Rockets in their ranking. The Grizzlies were already second in the West, and this defeat added a touch of suspense to the subsequent ranking battles. However, the state of the Kings' flag bearer, Fox, remains perplexing. There were rumors that the Rockets were interested in trading for him using assets like Sheppard, yet in this game, he only managed to score 23 points, remaining in a slump. Whether this is due to the impact of trade rumors or other reasons, it has indeed sparked speculation among fans. Other Kings players like Sabonis, however, performed exceptionally well, proving that they are not a team that relies solely on individual brilliance. Another heavyweight team, the Clippers, received the long-awaited good news - Leonard and Harden are set to return. This…

On January 10, 2025, Beijing time, the 24-win and 13-loss Grizzlies faced off against the 24-win and 12-loss Rockets at home. This was a crucial match, with the Rockets currently ranked second in the West and the Grizzlies third. Who would win this game? The Rockets were without Smith and Ison, starting with VanVleet, Jalen Green, Dillon, Amen, and Shen Jing. On the Grizzlies side, Morant returned, starting with Morant, Bane, Wells, Jackson, and Eddie. In the first quarter, Wells, Morant, and Jackson scored for the Grizzlies, while Dillon and Jalen Green chased points for the Rockets, leaving the Grizzlies ahead by one point. Eddie hit a three-pointer, making it 10-6 for the Grizzlies. Shen Jing then scored eight consecutive points, with only Jackson scoring for the Grizzlies, allowing the Rockets to take a two-point lead. After a timeout, Morant hit a three-pointer, Amen made a 2+1, and Shen Jing made a layup, extending the Rockets' lead to four points. Jackson and Morant scored again, but VanVleet scored six straight points, followed by Jalen Green and Amen, giving the Rockets a ten-point lead. After another timeout, Shen Jing dunked, increasing the lead to 12 points. Huf, Clarke, and Kennard scored for the Grizzlies, but Shen Jing responded with consecutive points, keeping the lead at eight points. Aldama, Kennard, and Morant scored, while Jalen Green responded in kind, ending the first quarter with the Rockets leading 45-36. Shen Jing set a personal season record for single-quarter scoring with 16 points in the first quarter. In the second quarter, Jackson made a…

Last summer at the draft lottery, the Rockets only managed to secure the fourth pick. In the subsequent draft, popular prospects Wenyama and Henderson were selected in the top three spots. The Rockets had to choose between the Thompson brothers during their tryouts, ultimately selecting the older twin, Amen Thompson, with the fourth pick, while the Pistons took his younger brother, Ausar Thompson, with the fifth pick. In his rookie season, Amen Thompson performed averagely, averaging 9.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.3 steals per game, with a shooting percentage of 53.6% and a dismal three-point percentage of just 13.8%. As an outside player, he had almost no three-point ability, and his mid-range shooting was also uncertain, scoring mainly through put-backs or fast-break layups. His younger brother, Ausar Thompson, had similar stats, averaging 8.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game, with a shooting percentage of 48.3% and a three-point percentage of 18.6%. Both brothers lacked a significant outside shooting threat, but Amen Thompson had ball-handling and organizing abilities, leaning towards a swingman role. On the other hand, Ausar Thompson had stronger rebounding and blocking skills, leaning more towards a forward position. This new season, Amen Thompson began to fulfill his potential, with his numbers improving as his average playing time increased. He is now averaging 12.1 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game, still coming off the bench. His three-point shooting has improved to 29%, and he is taking more decisive mid-range shots in games. What's even more…

Due to the rise of White Demon Whitmore, the Rockets placed Shepard in the Development League. Today, Shepard made his debut against the Thunder's affiliate team. Ultimately, the Rockets' affiliate Vipers lost 125-130. However, Shepard's performance was impeccable; he scored 49 points with 17 out of 33 shots, including 8 out of 19 three-pointers, and contributed 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals. This 49-point haul is also the second-highest score in the Development League this year. In the first half, Shepard was still adapting to the game and only managed 16 points, but in the second half, he exploded for 33 points, including 27 in the final quarter, nearly leading a comeback. In the Development League, Shepard truly demonstrated his talent, confidently shooting threes on offense, with mid-range jumpers and layups as well. He organized plays by threading passes across the court and creating opportunities for his teammates using pick-and-rolls. Defensively, Shepard was ever-present, becoming the Vipers' lockdown defender. We previously mentioned that Shepard should have gone to the Development League earlier because he wasn't yet adapted to the NBA's intensity. He was strong in the Summer League due to his physical capabilities. The reason for his strength was that Shepard could keep up physically, but in the NBA, he became a target for everyone's training. Despite Udoka giving him ample time, Shepard failed to explode in any game since the start of the season, instead performing poorly. He lacked confidence on offense and became a weak point defensively for the Rockets. Udoka had no choice but to use…

The Case is Solved! The Referee Report for the Lakers vs. Rockets Game is Out, Netizens: It's Ridiculous! In the game between the Lakers and the Rockets, the Lakers once trailed by 22 points, but under the leadership of the James-Brow combination, they gradually closed the gap and dragged the game into the final moments. However, several key refereeing decisions in the last minute completely deprived the Lakers of their chance to turn the game around. After the game, these controversial refereeing decisions topped the hot search list, sparking heated discussions among many fans, with even James, Brow, and Redick openly complaining about unfair refereeing. First, let's review what happened in the last 10 seconds of that game. With 7.1 seconds remaining in the game, the Lakers were trailing by 3 points when Christie's inbound pass was intercepted by VanVleet. However, during the inbound process, James signaled to the referee for a timeout, which was ignored. After the game, James talked about this play in an interview, claiming that he had argued with the referee at the time, but the latter replied that all attention was on the ball and did not see him request a timeout. With 4 seconds left in the game, the Lakers inbounded again, with Davis creating a three-point opportunity for James through a screen, who made the shot. However, the referees called an offensive foul on Brow, invalidating the goal. After the game, both Brow and Redick believed that Holiday took a dive. Undeniably, these refereeing decisions to some extent affected the outcome of the…

NBA regular season has concluded three games, with the following results: The Suns suffered a crushing defeat to the Hornets, the Rockets achieved a significant victory over the Wizards, and the Lakers were unable to overcome the Mavericks. Game Highlights: The Lakers faced a reversal at the hands of the Mavericks, resulting in a two-game losing streak shrouded in gloom. Despite the Lakers' efforts from James and Davis in the paint, they were unable to maintain their footing against the Mavericks, who were led by Dinwiddie and Washington's outstanding performances. Notably, Curry's three-point barrage helped the Mavericks gradually widen the gap. Although the Lakers made a valiant effort to catch up in the final quarter, the Mavericks' relentless offensive ultimately led to the Lakers' defeat, with a final score of 97-118. In another match, the Hornets took on the Suns. In the first quarter, Devin Booker's high-scoring performance put the Suns in the lead, but the Hornets, led by Miles Bridges, kept the score close. In the second quarter, LaMelo Ball's scoring helped the Hornets take the lead, which they maintained at halftime. In the second half, despite Durant's efforts to bring the Suns back into the game, LaMelo Ball's consistent play kept the Hornets ahead. In the final quarter, the Hornets played steadily and ultimately defeated the Suns 115-104, securing the win. Game Analysis: The Suns did not perform well in this game, previously allowing the Pelicans to end their nine-game losing streak, and now enabling the Hornets to end their ten-game losing streak. Comparing the Suns to the…

The Case is Solved! The Referee Report for the Lakers vs. Rockets Game is Out, Netizens: It's Ridiculous! In the game between the Lakers and the Rockets, the Lakers once trailed by 22 points, but under the leadership of the James-Brow combination, they gradually closed the gap and dragged the game into the final moments. However, several key refereeing decisions in the last minute completely deprived the Lakers of their chance to turn the game around. After the game, these controversial refereeing decisions topped the hot search list, sparking heated discussions among many fans, with even James, Brow, and Redick openly complaining about unfair refereeing. First, let's review what happened in the last 10 seconds of that game. With 7.1 seconds remaining in the game, the Lakers were trailing by 3 points when Christie's inbound pass was intercepted by VanVleet. However, during the inbound process, James signaled to the referee for a timeout, which was ignored. After the game, James talked about this play in an interview, claiming that he had argued with the referee at the time, but the latter replied that all attention was on the ball and did not see him request a timeout. With 4 seconds left in the game, the Lakers inbounded again, with Davis creating a three-point opportunity for James through a screen, who made the shot. However, the referees called an offensive foul on Brow, invalidating the goal. After the game, Brow and Redick both agreed that Holiday took a dive. Undeniably, these refereeing decisions to some extent affected the outcome of the…

The recent performance of the Dallas Mavericks has been disappointing, as they have just suffered four consecutive losses, causing their ranking to drop to sixth in the Western Conference, further away from the high position they had hoped for. The most concerning issue is the absence of Luka Doncic due to injury, which has had an undeniable impact on the team. As last year's Western Conference champions, the Mavericks should be considered strong opponents by all Western Conference teams, but now, even their opponents don't take them seriously anymore. The team faces severe challenges, especially without Doncic, where the lack of strength makes people exclaim "struggling to make ends meet." Things are not as simple as imagined. Klay Thompson, a four-time champion, still impresses with his shooting skills, but multiple knee injuries have prevented him from returning to his peak form. Currently, he averages 14.2 points, which is decent, but he is no longer the "sharpshooter" of the past. Moreover, Thompson's defense has always been criticized, making Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd reluctant to keep him on the court for too long. Although Klay can provide help on the offensive end, whether he can really solve the Mavericks' current predicament is still a big question mark. Recently, American media proposed a three-way trade plan involving the Rockets, Warriors, and Mavericks. This trade seems complicated, but if negotiations go smoothly, Thompson will be sent to the Rockets, while the Warriors will receive Mavericks' Maxi Kleber, a 2031 first-round pick, and other assets. Wiggins will join the Mavericks to become Doncic's new…

The Houston Rockets achieved a significant victory over the Washington Wizards today, with Jalen Green, Shen Jing, and Amen Thompson all performing exceptionally well, securing their second consecutive win and maintaining their position as the second seed in the Western Conference. However, there is another piece of good news that has emerged: Shepard has had a breakout performance. After being demoted to the G League's Vipers by the Rockets, he made his debut today. Shepard finished the game with an impressive stat line of 17 out of 33 shots, including 8 out of 19 from beyond the arc, scoring 49 points, grabbing 5 rebounds, dishing out 6 assists, and making 3 steals. For all Rockets fans, today confirms one fact: Shepard is not just a raw talent; he is a skilled rookie who simply lacks the physicality required. Why did Shepard, who dominated in the Summer League, appear to be a liability on both offense and defense in the NBA? It's not that Shepard isn't capable; it's that his body hasn't kept up with the intensity of the league. Today's performance solidifies the notion that if Shepard can improve his physique to meet NBA standards, he will be able to showcase his talents. In today's game, Shepard displayed confidence in his outside shooting and aggressively attacked the basket, while defensively, he held his own and even served as the primary perimeter defender for the Vipers. Regardless, the G League's level of competition surpasses that of the Summer League. Shepard's ability to exhibit his strengths in this environment validates the Rockets'…